The Real Estate Guide

Eltham has retained much of its bushland character despite having a reasonable population of 17,500 people in a 13.2km2 area. A suburb of the Shire of Nillumbik, Eltham is located 20km north east of the city and a road travel time via the Eastern Freeway of approximately 45 minutes. The main surrounding suburbs are Montmorency, Lower Plenty, Eltham North, Research, Warrandyte and Templestowe. Being a designated ‘Green Wedge’ area, Eltham has to date been relatively undeveloped although there is evidence that some of the larger blocks are now being sub-divided for more intensive housing. This will add pressure on the treed environment for which Eltham is note although the tree-lined streets and leafy reserves will be unaffected. Median houses $500,000 above regional average. Units $370,000 mainly houses.
Residents are predominantly Australian-born consisting of older school-age families. Professional occupations are the most recurrent roles.

Train services run from Eltham to the city although journey times can be affected by sections of single track. Eltham is a manned, premium station.

Eltham was once a favourite rain excursion for Melbourne residents who journeyed by rail on weekends to enjoy the flowering wattle and swimming in the Yarra River. The stringybark forests and vistas area also attracted artists and led to the creation of the collection of mud-brick medieval-style buildings in Hillcrest Avenue, known as Monsalvat. Regular exhibitions are held at Monsalvat which remains a continuing venture with resident artists, writers and filmmakers some of whom have gone on and gained international recognition.

Eltham has an excellent shopping centre in Main Street between Luck and Dudley Streets.

Schools in the area are Eltham High, Eltham Primary, Eltham North Primary, Eltham East Primary, Ladies Catholic Secondary College, Our Lady Help of Christians Primary. Schools in nearby Eltham North, include St. Helena Secondary College, Holy Trinity Primary and Glen Katherine Primary.

With all the open space and parklands in the suburb, sports such as basketball, cricket, soccer, football, tennis and athletics have blossomed.

The township of Kyneton is a regional centre of 4,500 people is situated in Victoria’s scenic Macedon Ranges beside the Campaspe River, halfway between Melbourne and Bendigo.

Originally established to service agricultural producers farming the rich volcanic soil, Kyneton leapt into prominence in the 1850’s as a way-station and sores replenishment stop for the thousands of prospectors headed for the Bendigo and Castlemaine goldfields.

The boom petered out but not before it brought incredible wealth to the community. It also led to the construction many substantial civic and other buildings and projects featuring bluestone from local quarries. The continued prosperity of the region over the years has supported Kyneton’s thriving commercial centre.

Tourism is a major industry in the region. Through good fortune, far-sightedness of conservationists and political support, many of the historical buildings of yesteryear have been preserved for posterity. Kyneton, however, is not a living museum. The Kyneton bypass of the Calder Highway diverted high volumes of heavy traffic that strangled the town’s main street. It also allowed Kyneton to catch its breath and to grow in new directions.

A regular stop on V/Line’s rail trunk routes to Bendigo and Echuca and with up to 20 trains each way during weekdays on weekdays, Kyneton is well placed to become a life-style dormitory for Melbourne commuters. With fares similar to outer Melbourne travel and just one hour travel time to the city, the low land prices makes Kyneton an interesting prospect for first home buyers and young families wishing to combine a health lifestyle with affordable housing. The current median price of Kyneton houses is just $260,000.

Bushranger Ned Kelly was tried in the Kyneton Courthouse – now the Magistrates Court. The enterprising local tourism people put together a number of varied walks about historical Kyneton – the grand Kyneton of yesteryear – then step out to experience the Kyneton of ‘today’! Fresh clean air. Picnic or fish at nearby reservoirs. Enjoy the invigorating mineral springs. Visit nearby wineries with their tasting rooms and cellar sales.

Annual celebrations include the Kyneton Jazz Festival, its Daffodil Festival Agricultural Show and the Kyneton Cup held the day after the Melbourne Cup. Residents are active in other sports, too – like Australian Rules Football, golf and soccer.